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A ground-breaking coalition of 140 groups representing 250,000 citizens has, for the first time, called on the EU to end commercial airlines’ tax exemptions and subsidies and phase out night flights. The Taming Aviation coalition formally presented its demands in a petition to the European Parliament in Brussels today.

Despite three-hours of grilling by MEPs of the Commissioner-designate for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete failed to explain how there is no conflict of interest with his brother-in-law Miguel Domecq Solís being a director of two oil companies.

Members of the European Parliament today capitulated to pressure, bullying and threats from third countries, the aviation industry and EU leaders lacking vision and courage by voting to shrink the aviation emissions trading system (ETS). The weakened ETS will only cover flights between EU airports until 2017, which leaves long-haul flights totally unregulated and thus reduces the amount of CO2 emissions covered by three quarters, compared with the original full aviation ETS agreed in 2008.

Members of the European Parliament’s environment committee today courageously voted against a bad deal on aviation emissions trading foisted on them by political leaders in the UK, France and Germany. The bad deal, reached during trilogue negotiations, would have scaled back the Commission’s proposal to regulate all aviation emissions in EU airspace, in favour of only covering flights between EU airports until 2016. This would have exempted long-haul flights from all regulation, even though they account for the bulk of EU emissions. CO2 emissions coverage would have been reduced by three quarters compared to the original scheme.

EU member states yesterday succumbed to pressure from third countries and the aviation industry and decided to shrink the aviation emissions trading system (ETS) to only cover flights between EU airports until 2016. This decision leaves long-haul flights totally unregulated and sends the signal internationally that EU sovereignty can be curtailed through outside pressure.

Green NGOs [1] have made formal requests to the Emissions Trading System (ETS) enforcement authorities in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK to take all necessary enforcement actions against airlines that failed to comply with the ETS in 2012.

The European Commission today published its final guidelines on state aid for aviation, which will allow regional airports and the airlines serving them to keep receiving subsidies worth an estimated €2-3 billion a year.

MEPs on the Environment Committee today stood up to political pressure from member states and industry by voting to endorse the European Commission’s proposal for an aviation emissions trading system covering all of Europe’s airspace. Although the proposal regulates only 35% of airline emissions compared to the original EU ETS, it crucially captures a portion of long-haul flights – where most of aviation’s greenhouse gases originate.

Transport & Environment and the European Low Fares Airline Association have joined forces to support Peter Liese, the European Parliament’s lead member on the aviation emissions file, in his call for MEPs to back the Commission’s proposal, which would cover all aircraft emissions in European airspace.

The European Commission today, under intense international pressure, proposed to reduce its Emissions Trading System (ETS) for aviation to only cover flights in European airspace. The proposal would only cover 35% of aviation emissions compared to the original aviation EU ETS.